A trove of previously redacted documents was filed as part of the tech giant's anti-trust battle with the state of California. Amazon denies it engages in price-fixing
When Keith Czika learned the brass-instrument factory where he had worked for nearly 18 years was closing and his job was headed to China, the 62-year-old Ohioan focused on what he saw as a source of leverage: the plant's ultimate owner, billionaire investor John Paulson, a close ally of President Donald Trump.
The Iran war is risking America's global security ties and damaging its reputation, especially among the world's Muslims, according to a set of State Department cables obtained by POLITICO. The cables, dated Wednesday, described the fallout of the war for America's standing in three countries in different parts of the world: Bahrain, Azerbaijan and Indonesia. U.S. diplomats at embassies in the countries' capitals painted damning portraits of an America under siege in multiple media spheres by pro-Iranian actors that are exceptionally agile in the digital space.
Across the country, Evangelicals are facing a moral dilemma -- is supporting government actions in line with their religious beliefs? The answer shows a rift in Evangelical communities, as government officials like Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth use scripture to justify war and deportation.
President Trump had something urgent to address while flying back to Washington from his Mar-a-Lago estate on a recent Sunday. It wasn't the Iran war, nor the partial government shutdown over Department of Homeland Security funding. He was focused on a monumental issue of a different kind, hoisting artist renderings of the $400 million White House ballroom he's building, complete with hand-carved "top-of-the-line" Corinthian columns.
This is a fav fun song for me ...
Animaniacs - Wakko's America (1994)
www.youtube.com
(fun lyrics in the video)
@#12 ... Trump was never wrapped too tight to start with ...
Yeah.
I've seen [then citizen] Trump on the local media since the late 1980's.
He has always seemed to have been ~out there~ to me.
But, I will also say that I am not a medical professional, so, what do I know?
Found this ...
Buying a Trump property, or so they thought (2011)
www.nbcnews.com
... For many middle-class Americans, it is the most coveted brand in real estate, synonymous with sky-piercing luxury and can't-miss quality: Donald J. Trump.
Far from the New York City towers that bear his name, in cities like Tampa, Fla., and Philadelphia, house hunters clamor to buy into his developments, sometimes exhausting credit lines and wiping out savings for a chance to own a piece of his gilded empire.
But as Mr. Trump, who is weighing a bid for the White House, has zealously sought to cash in on his name, he has entered into arrangements that home buyers describe as deliberately deceptive " designed, they said, to exploit the very thing that drew them to his buildings: their faith in him.
Over the last few years, according to interviews and hundreds of pages of court documents, the real estate mogul has aggressively marketed several luxury high-rises as "Trump properties" or "signature Trump" buildings, with names like Trump Tower and Trump International " even making appearances at the properties to woo buyers. The strong indication of his involvement as a developer generated waves of media attention and commanded premium prices.
But when three of the planned buildings encountered financial trouble, it became clear that Mr. Trump had essentially rented his name to the developments and had no responsibility for their outcomes, according to buyers. In each case, he yanked his name off the projects, which were never completed. The buyers lost millions of dollars in deposits even as Mr. Trump pocketed hefty license fees.
Those who bought the apartments in part because of the Trump name were livid, saying they felt a profound sense of betrayal, and more than 300 of them are now suing Mr. Trump or his company. ...
Tossing this in there ...
Kremlin says US has rejected its proposal that Russia take Iranian uranium stocks
www.reuters.com
... The Kremlin's spokesman was quoted as saying on Wednesday that the United States had rejected its proposal that Russia take all of Iran's enriched uranium out of the country as a way to help resolve the Middle East conflict.
Russia first proposed last June that it take control of Iran's uranium stock, but no action was taken. According to news reports, Russia issued the proposal again this week. ...
Hungry all the time'? US Navy calls USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Tripoli food shortage claims fake news'
www.wionews.com
... US Navy rejects reports of food shortages on USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli as crew complaints and logistics questions surface.
Reports from sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli sparked controversy after claims of food shortages and poor meal quality surfaced during the Middle East deployment. Crew members allegedly described being "hungry all the time," raising concerns about supply chain disruptions. The issue quickly gained traction online, putting pressure on the US Navy to clarify conditions aboard its deployed warships.
Pentagon pushback: 'No food shortage', says Pete Hegseth
Pete Hegseth dismissed the allegations, calling reports of shortages 'false'. He said both USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli have sufficient food supplies, with nutritionally balanced meals provided to all personnel. Emphasising troop welfare, he reiterated that the Navy ensures proper portioning and health standards, countering viral claims circulating across social media platforms. ...
Colourfield - Castles In The Air (1985)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
I really wanted her hair to touch her knees
I really wanted to share forgotten dreams
Go through the motions of loving from a far
And feel as if i'm reaching for the stars
But each drop of hopelessness amounts
To what could be a raging sea
It could be spring time, I'd meet her at the gates
If beauty ever comes to those who wait
Castles in the air
If only they were there
Just like a beatnik love affair
Those castles in the air
So let me look into the windows of your soul
Let me make the most of what i'll never know
We'll eat forbidden fruits and sing our favourite songs
And never tell each other we're wrong
Each drop of tenderness you give
Would be another reason why i'd want to live
Would be another chance to sit beneath the stars
And whisper to each other in the dark
...
@#4 ... Stephen Stills ...
Another tune of his that sticks in my mind ...
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Find the Cost of Freedom (Live)
www.youtube.com
A song for those soldiers who went off to fight in the Vietnam war ...
Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Be Not Too Hard (1974)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
Be not too hard for life is short
And nothing is given to man
Be not too hard if he's sold or bought
For he must do the best he can
Be not too hard when he blindly dies
Fighting for things he does not own
Be not too hard when he tells lies
Or if his heart is sometimes stone
Be not too hard for soon he'll die
Often no wiser than he began
Be not too hard for life is short
And nothing is given to man
...
Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler - There'll Be Some Changes Made (1990)
www.youtube.com
The two artists have fun with this one.